Biochemical soil treatment for erosion control against desertification

摘要

Erosion of soil and subsequent soil degradation (i.e. desertification) is becoming more serious due to global warming and concurrent abnormal climate. Although anti-desertification efforts have been performed on desert fronts (e.g. afforestation), most undertakings have shown poor performance due to the lack of consideration of soil and geotechnical aspects. Soil erosion accompanies soil cohesion and water retention reduction due to fine particle transfer from the original ground. Thus, soil internal adhesion recovery must be preceded for effective and reliable anti-desertification attempts. In this study, biochemical soil treatment using biopolymers is suggested as an alternative for soil recovery taking into consideration engineering and environmental aspects. Biopolymer treated soil shows significant enhancements in both soil erosion resistance and vegetation growth. Moreover, it improves soil water retention characteristics (e.g. marric suction, hydraulic conductivity) against evaporation, rendering a proper environment for plants and crops in arid or semi-arid regions where annual precipitation is limited.